Issue 269 • Autumn 2020
waterways www.waterways.org.uk
GENERATION ELECTRIC Harnessing wind and solar power on your boat
75 YEARS OF IWA
The Association’s beginnings at Tardebigge
HIREBOATING IN 2020 The changing face of floating holidays
PLUS
Special report Fundraising through the pandemic 001 Cover AH.indd 14
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Autumn 2020 Contents Issue 269 • Autumn 2020
waterways www.waterways.org.uk
GENERATION ELECTRIC Harnessing wind and solar power on your boat
75 YEARS OF IWA
The Association’s beginnings at Tardebigge
5. Welcome
6. News
HIREBOATING IN 2020
The latest from within IWA and beyond
12. Campaigns Update
The changing face of floating holidays
PLUS
Special report Fundraising through the pandemic 001 Cover AH.indd 14
16
Column of the National Chairman
23/07/2020 14:46
COVER PICTURE: Peaceful countryside surrounding the Tardebigge flight.
Looking at the impacts of the railways, including HS2 and the freight interchange at Four Ashes, on the waterways
16. It Began at Tardebigge
Looking back on the first meeting of IWA’s founding members, Robert Aickman and Tom Rolt
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19. Fund-amental questions WATERWAYS EDITOR: Amelia Hamson Tel: 01283 742962 E-mail: a.hamson@wwonline.co.uk FEATURES EDITOR: Sarah Henshaw E-mail: s.henshaw@wwonline.co.uk ART EDITOR: Claire Davis EDITORial design: Jonathan Lee ADVERTISEMENT MANAGER: Jake Tyers Tel: 01283 742 977 E-mail: j.tyers@wwonline.co.uk ADVERTISING DESIGN: Jo Ward ADVERTISING PRODUCTION: Samantha Furniss E-mail: s.furniss@wwonline.co.uk REPROGRAPHICS: Waterways World Ltd, 151 Station Street, Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire, DE14 1BG. Printed in England by Warners (Midlands) PLC, Bourne, Lincs Articles may be reproduced provided permission is obtained and acknowledgement made. ISSN 0969-0654 A non-profit distributing company limited by guarantee (612245), Registered as a Charity (No. 212342) Founded: 1946, Incorporated 1958 REGISTERED OFFICE: Island House, Moor Road, Chesham, HP5 1WA Tel: 01494 783453 E-mail: iwa@waterways.org.uk Web site: www.waterways.org.uk Chief Executive – Sarah O’Grady Company Secretary– Neil Edwards National Chairman – Paul Rodgers For press inquiries please contact: pressoffice@waterways.org.uk For all other contact details, including trustees and branch officers, visit: www.waterways.org.uk/about/ meet_team Nothing printed in Waterways may be construed as policy or an official announcement unless stated, otherwise IWA accepts no liability for any matter in the magazine. Although every care is taken with advertising matters no responsibility whatsoever can be accepted for any matter advertised. Where a photo credit includes a note such as CC-BY-SA, the image is made available under that Creative Commons licence; full details at www.creativecommons.org
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How IWA is navigating the fundraising challenges ahead
24. Hire-boating in the New Normal
Differences you might notice on your next holiday afloat
30. Restoration Hub
The WRG dig to uncover a lost lock cottage at Ty Coch, with archaeologist Ralph Mills
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32. Mr Mac
In conversation with long-standing WRG volunteer, David McCarthy
37. Generation Electric
Exploring wind and solar power options for inland waterways craft SEVEN REASONS WHY YOUR MEMBERSHIP CONTRIBUTION IS VITAL 1. IWA Canal Clean-ups led by our branches keep many waterways clear of debris 2. Restoration is kept high priority through funding for the Waterway Recovery Group 3. Over 10,000 days of volunteering each year will be supported with the right training, tools and materials 4. IWA can defend the waterways from unwelcome development 5. We can pass on traditional skills and workbased experience for volunteering young people 6. We can lobby the Government and work with other organisations to repair, improve and protect our waterways heritage 7. Your voice is counted when IWA speaks up for all those who enjoy the country’s canals and rivers
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IWA ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION RATE £36 More details are available from IWA Head Office. Join IWA at waterways.org.uk
IWA Waterways |
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A lasting
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Autumn 2020 22/07/2020 14:09
Welcome The Column of the National Chairman
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s I look around the waterways just now it seems a bit more like springtime than summertime, with everything just beginning to emerge from what feels like a very long winter – boat-owners and hirers are taking to the water once more, most canalside businesses are beginning to reopen, and the buzz and bustle on the towpath are getting back to normal levels, albeit with the awkwardness of social distancing. In the past three months we have brought many new initiatives to fruition as we were jolted out of our normal ways of working. One of the real successes has been the introduction of the Waterway Webinar series, which has united the Association and the wider waterways community around areas of shared, topical interest. I encourage everyone to visit IWA’s YouTube channel and catch up with the recordings – there really is something for everyone! Take a look at the website too, and sign up for the talks we have planned in the lead up to our AGM and to celebrate our 75th anniversary. Another highlight for me has been joining the weekly staff meeting on Zoom, where I have shared my thoughts, updated others on how things are moving forward, and heard how the impossibly busy schedule of activities that the team has been working on is progressing. I am delighted that the handover to our new chief executive, Sarah O’Grady, has been completed (see News on p8). Sarah will be with us for the next six months during which we will be continuing the search for a new permanent chief executive. In the last edition of Waterways, we outlined the process by which we planned to select new trustees. The request for members to apply to be trustees was met with huge interest and resulted in 17 candidates, all of whom bring incredible skills, passion and commitment to the
Autumn 2020 005 Overview AH SS.indd 5
Association. I was very pleased to see so many applications and it certainly gave the panel a huge challenge in selecting those who would fill the six vacancies. I would like to take the opportunity to most sincerely thank the members of the panel – Ray Alexander, Sir Robert Atkins, Dave Chapman, Clive Henderson, Audrey Smith, Paul Strudwick and Mike Sumner – for their hard work through May and June. I was honoured to have been reappointed as a trustee and I will be joined by a fresh cohort of new colleagues – Philippa Bursey, Nick Dybeck, Sue O’Hare, Ian Sesnan and Alison Woodhams – all of whom bring a wide range of skills and experience that will be invaluable to the governance of the Association. I am also looking forward to working with all those applicants who weren’t selected but who will, equally, be able to contribute greatly to our work. That work continues apace across a very wide front. IWA is active at national, regional and local levels across as diverse a range of issues as the sustainability of the waterways network, the pressures on restoration programmes, planning and heritage matters, and the environment. I would like to applaud our teams of experts in restoration, planning and heritage for their tireless work in responding to the continuing threat to the waterways. It’s crucial that we continue to demonstrate our strong leadership both within the Association and across the whole waterways ecosystem. I can’t hide my frustration at Defra’s disrespect for the waterways during this crisis and their indifference towards the strong evidence presented to them by IWA, in collaboration with AINA, British Marine, Broads Authority and Canal & River Trust. Our joint campaign demonstrated the need for government intervention but our requests have so far fallen on deaf ears. In online meetings of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for the Waterways
and in a meeting with the Minister, Rebecca Pow, the risk to waterways businesses and to the sustainability of the system as a whole met with intransigence and inaction (see News on p9). I would like to thank those IWA members who wrote to their MPs during this period, many of whom, in turn, wrote to the Minister and raised questions in Parliament. Unfortunately, these interventions have met with the same dismissive and platitude-ridden responses from the Minister. Her words in the adjournment debate in Parliament secured by our Parliamentary friend, Craig Williams, MP for Montgomeryshire, ring hollow in the light of her and her Department’s continued failure to act to support the sector (see News p.10). On a lighter note, August sees the beginning of IWA’s year of celebrations. We are 75 this year (August 2020 to August 2021) and Waterway Recovery Group turns 50 at the same time. In this issue we tell the story of Rolt and Aickman’s first meeting and we meet Mr Mac, one of the legends of WRG. I hope you will be encouraged and inspired by his and other interviews, and in this auspicious month I thank you for your continued support, whether as a member or volunteer for the invaluable work of the Association.
Paul Rodgers
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Waterways News
IWA's 'no travel' AGM 2020 Due to the risks of Covid-19 this year, IWA’s 2020 AGM will be a virtual event held online. Over the past few months we have been using digital meeting software to run some of our Branch meetings and we have also offered a series of virtual talks, which have been very well attended. The positive feedback has given us confidence that many of our members and volunteers will be happy to join our 61st AGM online. We hope that it will also enable more members to participate in our governance. If accessing the meeting over the internet sounds tricky, we are also offering the opportunity to join the meeting via telephone. The AGM of the Inland Waterways Association will take place on Saturday 26th September at 11.30am via Zoom. The AGM papers, details on how to register your interest and access the meeting are available on our website. Go to waterways.org.uk/agm to find out more. If you would like to register for phone access and/or receive a hard copy of the AGM papers to the meeting, please give us a ring on 01494 783453 and we will send you the AGM papers by post, and/ or provide you with the telephone number to dial on the day. 1. Review and approval of the minutes of the 60th Annual General Meeting in 2019 2. Receiving the Report of the Trustees and Financial Statements for the year ending 31st December 2019 and the Report of the Auditors 3. Appointment of the Auditors 4. Authorisation to the Trustees to decide the remuneration of the Auditors
Get ready for a more exciting view of the waterways
Tell us your email address so that you don’t miss out on any announcement about our new website.
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5. Announcement of Trustee appointments By Order of the Trustees, Neil Edwards, Company Secretary If you have questions you would like to have answered in advance of the AGM or on the day, please do send them through – membership@waterways.org.uk.
Proxies Any person being a member of the Association is entitled to appoint a proxy to attend the meeting virtually and vote on their behalf at the AGM. A proxy need not be a member of the Association. Forms for nominating a proxy are available on the website waterways.org.uk/agm, or by calling us on 01494 783453. Forms must be returned to proxies@waterways.org.uk by 2pm on Thursday 24th September 2020 in order to be valid.
Contact email We are planning to offer a series of inspiring talks in the week leading up to the AGM and details about these will be posted on the website and emailed out to members. If we do not have your email address, please contact us at membership@waterways.org. uk with your membership number or first name, last name and postcode asking for details of the talks, and we will make sure you don’t miss out on the news. We really do hope you will be able to come along to this unique event. You’ll be able to catch up with all the latest activities and plans for the future, get the inside track on our new website and put questions to Trustees.
From recent updates in Waterways magazine, you will know that IWA’s new website is on its way. This new site will bring you all sorts of additional benefits. It will have a mobile-friendly format for viewing on smartphones and tablets, a more effective search function, and you will be able to manage your personal data, as well as see all of your purchases, bookings and payments in one place. An exciting development is that there will be a much bigger focus on what’s happening locally to you and the waterways you are interested in. You will be able to explore our inland waterways like never before and easily see all the things we do to protect and restore our canals and rivers. For example, if you are interested in a particular canal restoration, a simple search of the surrounding areas will show you information about the project, the waterways it links to, any WRG working holidays that might be happening, plus nearby talks, walks and socials offered by the local IWA branches. It will also tell you about any local campaigns, and if there’s a Silver Propeller Challenge location nearby that you can tick off your list or a selfguided walk to enjoy. The new website will showcase what we do as a charity in a way that hasn’t been possible previously. As an IWA member and supporter, we want you to see it first. Please make sure we have your email address and that of the other IWA members in your household, so that we can let you know when all the new features are ready to delve into. You can call us on 01494 783453 or fill in our easy online form: waterways.org.uk/email.
Autumn 2020 24/07/2020 09:35
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Waterways News
Travel guides for the eastern waterways Imray has been updating its guides to the waterways of the East of England, and IWA volunteers from the region have been helping with the revamps. The River Nene, with a new design and detailed maps, is now available through IWA’s online shop (waterways.org.uk/shop). Authored by Roger Green, who has a long-standing connection to the river, readers will find lots more information about moorings, facilities and services, many of which have been much improved in recent years, as well as features of interest to canoeists and paddleboarders. A new edition of Fenland Waterways by Chris Howes is coming soon, and a guide to the River Great Ouse, also by Chris, will follow shortly after.
Opening up of the waterways
ALISON SMEDLEY
As Government started to ease the lockdown measures imposed as a result of Covid-19, IWA called for restrictions regarding overnight stays on privately owned boats to be relaxed. It had already been acknowledged by MPs that leisure boating was a low risk activity, as navigation was permitted to resume on most waterways from 1st June, so it seemed illogical for boat-owners to be put at more risk by travelling backwards and forwards on multiple days rather than being allowed to stay on their own boat overnight. Guidance from Government issued on 11th June, which authorised some waterways-based businesses such as day-boat hire to start up again, was good news, but IWA
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continued to lobby for a date when holiday hire-firms could start to operate and when the owners of privately owned craft could stay on board overnight. We therefore welcomed the news, when it finally came on 23rd June, that from 4th July holiday boat hire could resume and non-residential boaters could finally stay on board their own craft for multiple days and nights. We encourage our members to support waterways businesses as much as they can, especially our corporate members, now that the restrictions are eased. Why not book a day trip out on a waterway you wouldn’t normally visit, or book that boating holiday you’ve always thought of taking?
The waterways reopened for visitors on 4th July – with social distancing measures in place.
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Sarah O'grady joins iwa as chief exec for six months Sarah O’Grady has recently taken on the role of IWA’s Chief Executive as Neil Edwards, who has been in the role for over 20 years, announced his retirement late last year. Sarah is an experienced leader, providing consultancy and interim support to boards and executive teams. She works with a wide range of charities, including volunteerled groups and museums. She was chair of Amnesty International UK Section for three years, steering the membership organisation through a governance and constitutional reform programme. Her appointment at IWA is for six months, or until a permanent successor is in place. Announcing the news, IWA National Chairman, Paul Rodgers, said: “Sarah is an authority on charity management and I know she will do a great job driving the organisation forward over the next few crucial months. This is our 75th year and her experience will ensure we have the right building blocks in place as we look forward to another 75 years focused on the regeneration and protection of our nation’s waterways.” Sarah is taking over at a busy time, especially as we look forward to seeing our task party volunteers return to the waterside and to supporting the return to work of volunteers on the restoration projects we champion, when it is safe to do so. We are also devoting energy and resources to a range of projects including the imminent publication of our Practical Restoration Handbook, which has been completely revised, and the launch of Part II of our Heritage Report, which highlights the threats faced by our waterways heritage from careless development. An announcement on the permanent Chief Executive position will be made in due course.
Autumn 2020 24/07/2020 09:38
Waterways News
Campaign cruise on the River Weaver The second annual Restoration Showcase, planned for the weekend of 22nd-23rd August at the Anderton Boat Lift and coordinated by IWA Chester & Merseyside Branch, has been postponed until 2021. However, a campaign cruise along the River Weaver and Trent & Mersey Canal intended to take place following the event is still set to go ahead between 23rd and 27th August. Organised by the River Weaver Navigation Society, IWA members will join the flotilla which aims to highlight the restoration work taking place at both Frodsham Lock and Runcorn Locks. Canal & River Trust is making special arrangements for locking along the river and canal. Details about the cruise can be obtained from jim.mole@waterways.org.uk.
All-Party Parliamentary Group for the Waterways meeting On 14th May, Paul Rodgers, IWA National Chairman, addressed an online meeting of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for the Waterways. Convened to discuss the urgent issues facing waterway businesses affected by the Covid-19 lockdown, the meeting heard how Government’s failure to offer a £20m support package “could precipitate the most widespread and rapid decline of businesses on our waterways”. Paul urged the Government to “intervene at the earliest possible opportunity to save this vital sector of the British economy”. IWA’s call for action was supported by the words of Richard Parry and John Packman, who between them offered the navigation authorities’ perspective on behalf of Canal & River Trust and
Broads Authority. A representative from British Marine joined them, along with the parliamentarians present, for a question-and-answer session. Representatives from user organisations and waterway businesses had been invited to attend the meeting and were given the opportunity to raise issues. A number people from the sector gave examples of how financial help is much needed, and the case was made for some waterway businesses, such as hire-boat operators, being able to open up at the earliest possible opportunity. The meeting closed with the chair, Michael Fabricant MP, stating that the APPGW would write immediately to Defra, DCMS and HM Treasury asking for urgent support for the waterways sector.
Hardship grant desperately needed to support waterway businesses
Autumn 2020 006-11 News AH.indd 9
additional financial support. In our view they are completely failing to recognise the unique nature of waterway businesses and their contribution to the very infrastructure that is our inland waterways system. While businesses have re-opened, many have lost up to 50% of their annual takings. These businesses may be able to continue operating through the summer, but our concern now is that they will not survive the winter and many will go out of business before the start of the 2021 season next spring. Please write to your MP now asking them to support this campaign. Details of the key points you could raise can be found at waterways.org.uk/news_campaigns/campaigns/support_ for_waterway_businesses.
JAMES GRIFFIN, WYVERN SHIPPING
Weeks of lobbying Government to support waterway businesses with a funding package totalling £20m have so far fallen on deaf ears. This funding is urgently needed as significant numbers of waterway businesses could fail through lack of support. Over the last few weeks IWA has had an ongoing dialogue with the inland waterways policy team at Defra, responding to their many requests for further information. We have written several times to Rebecca Pow MP, Parliamentary Undersecretary of State for Defra, and attended a round table meeting with her. We have also addressed a video meeting of the All Party Parliamentary Group for the Waterways, which resulted in the APPG writing to Defra, HMT, DCMS and the Welsh Government. We have submitted evidence to inquiries A funding package to support being held by DCMS and the APPG businesses affected by for Hospitality & Tourism, and Covid-19 is needed to ensure recently had a meeting with the the longevity of the waterways and heritage sectors. Shadow Environment Minister, Daniel Zeichner MP, who offered his support. Parliamentary Questions have been asked on several occasions and hundreds of letters have been written to MPs by IWA members and supporters, which in turn has led to dozens of MPs raising the issue with Government and backing IWA’s call for dedicated funding for the waterways sector. As of 23rd July, in response the Government has outlined the general support available to businesses and reiterated that there are no plans to provide
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Waterways News
Waterways restoration debated in Parliament Waterways were given a good airing in the House of Commons when Craig Williams, MP for Montgomeryshire, secured an adjournment debate on the subject of waterways restoration, which took place on Thursday 4th June. Opening remarks from Craig Williams MP focussed on the Montgomery Canal and the progress of its restoration, before he went on to talk about the wider success and benefits of waterway regeneration across the country. He stated: “There are restoration projects in constituencies across the UK, and if we look at the gross value added effect of restoring canals, we see that there is a huge positive return to the Exchequer and the public purse.” This reinforces IWA’s long-held campaigning message that we have brought to the notice of all MPs, including those elected for the first time last December. The importance of tourism to the waterways was also raised, with many businesses and charities currently struggling as a result of restrictions imposed due to the global health crisis. Mr Williams supported the many letters that have been sent to Government as part of IWA’s campaign for a package of support for navigation authorities and waterway businesses. Craig Williams MP concluded his speech by suggesting that Government investing in restoring waterways would be
Craig Williams MP (r) was well briefed by IWA Shrewsbury & North Wales Branch chair, Michael Haig, ahead of the debate on waterways restoration.
excellent value for money and could help with the recovery of the UK economy by driving domestic tourism, supporting communities and providing health and environmental benefits. He hoped this would be the first of many debates about the inland waterways. Rebecca Pow, Parliamentary UnderSecretary of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, responded by acknowledging the health and well-being benefits of being near the water and the important contribution that canals and rivers make to local economies.
Helping hands for waterway charities Scottish Waterways for All, the consortium of voluntary groups on the Scottish canal network including IWA, has launched a joint appeal to support waterway charities whose activities have been seriously curtailed during the coronavirus lockdown. Called the Big Splash, the campaign is a recovery fund currently involving 11 of the main charities on the Scottish canal
network. SWfA is inviting other waterway charities to join. Further details about the initiative are available at scvawards.co.uk/big-splash-charities, where you can choose the specific charity you wish to support, and donate via the JustGiving platform. All funds raised go directly to the donor's favoured charity, ensuring that local communities can support their closest organisation.
The Seagull Trust, one of the Scottish waterway charities unable to operate because of the Covid-19 lockdown, has joined the Big Splash appeal.
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Autumn 2020 24/07/2020 09:38
Waterways News
CRT asked boaters in Bridgwater Docks to prepare to move elsewhere in May – then extended the mooring agreements for three more months.
The future of Bridgwater Docks At the annual user group meeting for the Bridgwater & Taunton Canal last December, Canal & River Trust informed those present that it would not be renewing or extending its lease of the Bridgwater Docks upon its termination date. Any of the boat-owners whose mooring agreements ran beyond the termination date would receive a credit or a refund for the unexpired period. CRT also reported that it would be undertaking dilapidation works at the Docks, as required under the terms of the lease, and working with Somerset County Council to secure the future of the Docks. It was therefore a surprise to learn that the lease had been temporarily extended. CRT wrote to boat-owners in May stating that their mooring agreements would be stopped in advance of the eventual termination date of the lease and that they should prepare to remove their boats from the Docks, in the event that nobody is found to take the Docks on for the future.
IWA has pointed out to CRT (and to SCC) that the Bridgwater & Taunton Canal is an isolated waterway, and the secure moorings on the waterway are fully occupied. Removing the 30 or so boats moored in the Docks will be both inconvenient and costly to the boat-owners. CRT has responded that it will continue to extend the mooring agreements for three months at a time for the foreseeable future but will not make any contribution to the costs of removing boats from the Docks. IWA West Country Branch continues to lobby the local authorities and others within Somerset about the future of the Docks. We are working in particular with SCC and Bridgwater Town Council. At the moment discussions need to take place on the dilapidation obligations that CRT has under the terms of the lease. IWA’s view is that until these are agreed it may be premature for any parties who might have an interest in the future of the Docks to get fully involved.
Win £1,000 in our restoration raffle This year we are raising money to boost the work of IWA’s restoration team, which supports and champions projects across the country, through the sale of our raffle tickets, a book of which has been included in this issue of Waterways magazine. The Restoration Hub is an essential part of our charity and helps waterways societies by providing expert advice from our honorary engineers and planners. We issue health and safety guidance, provide environmental expertise, share fundraising advice, and every month our dedicated helpline answers questions raised by organisations across the sector. Buying raffle tickets makes a difference to the levels of support we can offer. Priced at £2 each, with five tickets in each book, the tickets will be entered into a one-off prize draw, which will take place on 16th December 2020. The top prize is £1,000 in cash, with other prizes including a Crick Boat Show festival bundle worth £250, Imray maps and publications worth £150, a full set of
Autumn 2020 006-11 News AH.indd 11
Nicholson Guides, a tug boat driving experience at London Canal Museum, and a goody bag full of IWA-branded merchandise. Tickets can be bought online at waterways.org.uk/ raffle. Please visit the webpage or call 01494 783453 to order more paper books. The deadline for entry is 14th December 2020. Please ensure all paper ticket stubs are posted back to us in time to be included in the draw.
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CAMPAIGNING WITH YOU The impacts of HS2 on our waterways and plans for a new rail interchange on the Staffs & Worcs are among some of the issues we’ve been campaigning on with your help. Here’s how we’ve been doing on these affairs…
Help keep our waterways alive
Protecting the waterways from HS2 The first phase of the HS2 high-speed rail scheme is now going ahead following a Government decision, and IWA has confirmed that it will continue its decade-long campaign to protect the waterways from the worst effects of its construction and operation. IWA has achieved several changes to the project since 2010 but continues to be concerned about noise and other impacts on many waterways and its ramifications for some canal restoration schemes. IWA has also now responded to a consultation on the future of the Phase 2b proposals in the North and Midlands.
restoration at Measham, the Erewash Canal at Sandiacre, and the Chesterfield Canal restoration at Staveley.
IWA’s response to High Speed North Consultation
Construction of Phase 1 of HS2 from London to Birmingham and Fradley has been authorised, and its continuation to Crewe in Phase 2a is proceeding through Parliament (although delayed by Covid-19). But the future of the remainder of HS2 is subject to a further review to better
integrate it with other rail improvements in the North and Midlands. This will inform an Integrated Rail Plan, which the Government expects to publish by the end of the year. IWA has now responded to this review (a Call for Evidence by the National Infrastructure Commission for a Rail Needs Assessment for the Midlands and the North) by suggesting that the eastern leg of HS2 should be scrapped altogether due to design flaws and the adverse impact it would have on a significant number
The HS2 network
Government decision
The Government’s decision is to proceed with Phase 1 and Phase 2a of HS2, from London to Birmingham and via Fradley to Crewe, although it is not yet entirely clear if this includes the Handsacre Link. On Phase 1, IWA remains particularly concerned about the noise impact on the tranquil summit section of the Oxford Canal near Wormleighton. Phase 2a will cross the Trent & Mersey Canal at Great Haywood on a viaduct right alongside the marina. IWA is represented on the Trent-Sow advisory group, which has produced a Design Principles document to help mitigate the construction and operational impacts of the viaduct. The group has also obtained funding from HS2 for environmental enhancement works that are likely to include towpath improvements. Phase 2b of HS2 includes Crewe to Manchester and Wigan and the eastern leg from Birmingham to Leeds, and affects 16 waterways in at least 22 locations. IWA has major concerns about its impacts on the Trent & Mersey Canal north of Middlewich, the Ashby Canal
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WHY CAMPAIGN WITH IWA? We strive to make the waterways better for all. 12
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Autumn 2020 23/07/2020 15:05
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Campaigns Update
of navigable waterways and restoration schemes, and that the western leg should be rerouted. The proposal for Phase 2b’s eastern leg from Birmingham to Leeds has blighted the restorations of the Ashby Canal and the Chesterfield Canal for many years, as well as threatening noise and environmental damage to the Coventry Canal, Erewash Canal, Aire & Calder Navigation and other waterways. The western leg from Crewe to Manchester would have major landscape, noise and heritage impacts on the Trent & Mersey Canal and Middlewich Branch. IWA’s submission includes the detailed responses made to the Phase 2b Working Draft Environmental Statement in December 2018 and the Design Refinement consultation in September 2019, as the threats to the waterways detailed there remain unanswered.
Fundamental review
The aim of the new review is to redesign Phase 2b to better integrate with wider rail improvement plans for the North and Midlands, proposed by Northern Powerhouse Rail and Midlands Rail Hub. Chief among these is a new or improved trans-Pennine railway between Manchester, Leeds and Sheffield, as the central section of a high-speed network from Liverpool to Hull and Newcastle, dubbed HS3 or High Speed North. IWA’s submission reviews the chequered history of HS2 and its many fundamental design flaws and management failings. For Phase 2b these include (but are not limited to): ■ Poor integration with the existing rail system ■ No provision for integration with the trans-Pennine improvements or connections to Scotland, with south-facing terminal stations in Leeds and Manchester ■ An eastern leg station at Toton that would be inconvenient for both Derby and Nottingham, and a route that bypasses Sheffield and requires extensive motorway diversions ■ A western leg that goes through the Cheshire salt field with severe subsidence dangers still not yet investigated. We conclude that the way forward is to start with determining the trans-Pennine route, which will connect Leeds to HS2 via Manchester, with the continuation to Crewe being rerouted. Reasons are also advanced for scrapping the eastern leg in favour of upgrading existing railway lines
to the East Midlands and South Yorkshire. This would reduce impacts on the Trent & Mersey Canal and remove them altogether from the Coventry, Ashby, Erewash, Nottingham and Chesterfield canals, rivers Soar and Trent, and Sheffield & South Yorkshire and Aire & Calder navigations. With these fundamental changes, a better-designed, more useful and costeffective integrated rail plan for the North and Midlands can be delivered in conjunction with Phases 1 and 2a of HS2. But there needs to be greater attention to avoiding and mitigating environmental and community damage, including minimising impacts on the users, heritage and restoration of the inland waterways.
Outstanding concerns
IWA’s previous HS2 consultation responses set out our concerns about the detailed physical, visual and noise impacts on the many affected sections of the inland waterways, including those under restoration and IWA therefore welcomes the review of HS2 Phase 2b, which affects 16 inland waterways, both canals and river navigations, including three canal restoration schemes. IWA’s concerns raised in those previous consultations remain relevant but largely unanswered. They include some fundamental criticisms of the inadequate recognition of noise impacts on waterways, subsidence risks on the western leg route, and uncertainty for waterway restoration projects at Measham and Staveley. IWA’s concerns include the following major issues: ■ Landscape, noise and heritage impacts on the Trent & Mersey Canal in the Dane Valley north of Middlewich ■ Noise and visual impacts on the Middlewich Branch of the Shropshire Union Canal ■ Threats, uncertainty and delay to the restoration of the Ashby Canal at Measham ■ Visual and noise impacts on the Erewash Canal between Sandiacre and Stanton Gate ■ Threats, uncertainty and blight to the restoration of the Chesterfield Canal at Staveley and Norwood ■ Visual, noise and engineering impacts on the Aire & Calder Navigation near Woodlesford. Although there has been some progress in improving the proposals
at a few locations, other changes have increased the visual or noise impacts on the waterways environment and on the recreational and residential users of the waterways. Crucially, the issues threatening severance or severe damage to the restoration routes of the Chesterfield and Ashby canals have not been adequately addressed. Overall, it is very disappointing how slow and insensitive HS2 Ltd has been in recognising and responding to the problems that IWA and others have highlighted.
Noise
In particular, there has been a fundamental failure to acknowledge that waterway users are not just ‘transient’ but in many locations live on boats for varying periods of time. Those places should be provided with noise mitigation to at least the same standards as would automatically apply to residential buildings at that location. Unlike buildings, however, boats cannot easily be retrofitted with double glazing, and their mobility and the outdoor lifestyle of boaters means that they are more dependent on external controls including noise fencing on viaducts and bridges, earth bunding and screen planting. IWA contends that wherever boats are permanently moored, or permitted to moor temporarily overnight or for a few days or months, they are likely to be occupied residentially and those locations should be protected by noise mitigation to residential standards. While the design of bridges and viaducts is important, the minor additional visual impact of noise fencing should not be used as an excuse to deny the major audible benefits that it can provide. To static boat residents or waterway users encountering HS2 at walking pace, it will, in the long term, be the operational noise that most impacts on and disrupts their lifestyle and activities.
Conclusion
IWA’s responses have identified the adverse impacts at each waterway interface with HS2 and where changes are needed to avoid or minimise those impacts, and incorporated information from discussions with IWA branches, individual canal trusts, and Canal & River Trust. More detailed information on each of the locations impacted by HS2 can be found on IWA’s website waterways.org.uk/ campaigns/HS2.
With your support, we can do even more. waterways.org.uk/campaigns Autumn 2020 012 Campaigns UpdateNEW AH SS PS.indd 13
IWA Waterways |
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Campaigns Update
Gravelly Way Bridge, at the heart of the new development. The navigation won’t be impeded, but it will turn into a mile of massive canalside warehouses.
IWA submits formal complaint against West Midlands Strategic Rail Freight Interchange IWA has raised a formal complaint with the Planning Inspectorate following publication of the Examining Authority’s Report on the West Midlands Rail Freight Interchange. The scheme, which was approved by Grant Shapps (Secretary of State for Transport) on 4th May, will destroy the rural environment of the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal between Gailey and Four Ashes, and damage its setting between Four Ashes and Calf Heath. It will also damage the setting of the Roundhouse at Gailey which along with the cottage, lock and wharf is a unique heritage asset. The Planning Inspectorate Report includes assessment of the impacts of the project on the heritage assets of the Staffs & Worcs Canal. IWA’s concern is that, if left unchallenged, the report’s false reasoning would set unfortunate precedents for future heritage assessments of inland waterways as sections dealing with the canal’s heritage fall well short of the professional standards expected. Our complaint includes a detailed analysis prepared jointly by IWA’s Planning Advisory Panel and Heritage Advisory Panel.
Proposed development
The interchange will consist of an enormous road-served development with 14 warehouses, only two of which will be directly served by rail, should the construction of the rail terminal proceed. The site will surround the Staffs & Worcs Canal and its Conservation Area and change its setting from countryside and woodland to views of baffle mounds
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and the upper parts of large ‘tin shed’ warehouses. Its present tranquillity will be replaced by constant traffic noise from 24-hour operations. This will cause lasting damage to the heritage, amenity and tourism value of the canal. The proximity of warehouses to Gailey Reservoir will cause wind turbulence that threatens the viability of its sailing club. The decision also further devalues Green Belt protection, which is already under threat from housing developments across the country, and is leading to urbanisation of many valued sections of our waterway system. As a result of IWA’s early engagement with the developers, and subsequent agreements with Canal & River Trust, there will be some benefit in the removal of two unsightly and redundant pipe bridges and a concrete crossing at Four Ashes. Towpaths will be resurfaced throughout the site, and access to a canalside park area at Croft Lane created. As a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project this application was decided outside the normal local authority planning system. IWA submitted a comprehensive summary of objections to the Development Consent Order application at the earliest stage of its examination and, along with CRT, were engaged throughout in trying to mitigate its impacts. We had support from the main local protest group, which provided detailed evidence against the scheme.
Inspector’s decision
It seemed from questions raised during
the proceedings that the Inspector understood how the development would impact the canal, so it was a shock how little weight is given to that in the subsequent report and recommendations. Also surprising was the Inspector’s dismissal of the Canal Conservation Area’s heritage value as “low”, and the impacts as “less than substantial”. The Inspector falsely reasoned that “poor quality” buildings at Gailey Wharf offset the heritage value of the Roundhouse and cottage. It was also claimed that the impact of the Interchange would be “negligible” as it would only affect a small part of the 74km-long Canal Conservation Area, which had already been partially damaged by industrial development, and that any negative effects would be outweighed by “public benefits” (not detailed in the report). The Secretary of State cited the Inspector’s comments, concluding that the impact on the area’s heritage is “not significant”. IWA believes that the Staffs & Worcs Canal is a jewel in the crown of our canal system having remained remarkably unchanged for 250 years. The former tar distillery at Four Ashes, which became a chemical works, was the only real blot on its landscape until a number of large warehouse buildings began appearing in recent years. The canal, its original accommodation bridges around Four Ashes and the historic buildings at Gailey are national treasures and deserve to be protected from further damage and destruction by urbanisation and development. Autumn 2020 23/07/2020 15:05
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75th Anniversary
Robert and Ray Aickman in the bow of Cressy when they joined Tom and Angela Rolt on a trip to Banbury in 1946.
IT BEGAN AT TARDEBIGGE This August marks 75 years since IWA founders Tom Rolt and Robert Aickman first met on the Worcester & Birmingham Canal. Waterways looks back on the historic event and how it has been celebrated through the years
Robert Aickman steering a narrowboat in 1950.
O
n Saturday 11th August 1945 at around 2.30pm, a meeting took place on narrowboat Cressy, moored above the top lock of the Tardebigge flight on the Worcester & Birmingham Canal. Back then it would have been viewed as little more than an informal social event – two couples greeting each other for the first time – yet it was a meeting that, in due course, was to have life-changing effects on the individuals, as well as far-reaching consequences for Britain’s waterways.
First contact At the meeting were: L.T.C. (Tom) Rolt, who had been living on Cressy at Tardebigge throughout World War II with his wife Angela and had recently published his first book Narrow Boat, and Robert Aickman, a literary agent, with his wife Ray. Robert wrote to Tom after reading his book, saying: “For many years I have been interested in canals, and distressed both by the neglected condition of many of them and by a certain lack of enterprise… with which the remainder are too commonly administered. I think, as you say, there is a real danger of the canals merely being allowed to die; and for no good reason as, properly administered, they could still occupy a perfectly sound place in the national economy.” Robert continued by suggesting that a society should be formed to promote the regeneration of canals. He proposed that it might present itself somewhere between the Light Railway Transport League (which was championing the case for trams) and a supporter group like the Friends of Canterbury Cathedral, and that it should be a disinterested body of “enthusiasts (not fanatics)”. In replying to Robert, Tom wrote: “Six months ago I would have doubted whether such a project would receive an adequate response but now, judging by the number of letters I have received, I am inclined to think otherwise.”
At Tardebigge Consequently, Tom agreed to meet up to discuss the idea, inviting the Aickmans to visit them aboard Cressy at Tardebigge. Robert responded in
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“Frequent letters between Tom and Robert make it obvious that the first meeting passed off exceptionally well” a letter dated 18th July that he and Ray, together with two friends (Howard Coster, a photographer, and his wife), were staying at the Queen’s Hotel in Birmingham over the night of Saturday 11th August and would like to visit on that afternoon. Tom gave precise instructions of how to find their mooring: “New Wharf is at the other end of Tardebigge Tunnel and we lie just below Tardebigge Church, 200 yards off the Bromsgrove and Redditch road.” Autumn 2020 23/07/2020 15:07
75th Anniversary
The book-lined office in Aickman’s Gower Street apartment hosted the first IWA meeting on 15th February 1946.
“There is a real danger of the canals merely being allowed to die, and for no good reason”
A card dated 18th July 1945 from Tom to Robert, confirming the details of their meeting on 11th August.
The couples got on extremely well at their first meeting, despite their obvious differences – Robert being a city dweller whose practical skills extended to map-reading but not driving, and Tom a trained engineer who favoured the countryside. For the Aickmans there was excitement in boarding a converted narrowboat for the very first time and fascination in seeing the way Tom had fitted it out as a liveaboard. Unfortunately, neither Robert nor Tom recorded in their separate autobiographical books anything of the discussion that took place – the subsequent bitter disagreements meant they both largely ignored this first meeting of minds. Frequent letters (now housed in the National Archive at Kew) between Tom and Robert, and, to a lesser degree, between Angela and Ray, do, however, make it obvious that the first meeting passed off exceptionally, and the Aickmans made a return visit the following Sunday. They had booked to stay again in Birmingham and their intention was to return the Rolts’ hospitality by inviting them to dinner. This offer was politely rejected by Tom, who wrote: “We much appreciate your invitation to dine with you in Birmingham but, to be perfectly frank, we think so little of Birmingham, its hotels and its train service, that we would much prefer you to stay on and dine with us on the boat. I believe there is a train back at about 9.24pm and I would take you to the station by car. Perhaps if we come to London in the autumn you would then have a more favourable opportunity to get your own back on us!”
Early stages
A newspaper cutting from 1948 showing Robert (l) and Tom taking water aboard a boat on the Aire & Calder.
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At this second meeting, discussion turned towards the problems facing the canals and how to tackle them. In a letter sent three days later, Tom wrote: “I don’t know if you have any ideas about the exact title of the Society, but I would suggest that the word ‘waterways’ rather than ‘canal’ should be used, otherwise it might be seen to exclude rivers.” He suggested that the waterways should be brought under some form of public responsibility on the lines of the Thames Conservancy Board and that waterborne transport should be entrusted to small private traders operating through a ‘clearing house’. Even at this early stage, there had been talk about the potential for restoring the River Avon Navigation (on which Tom and Angela had hired a boat from IWA Waterways |
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75th Anniversary
JOHN GAGG
Tardebigge through the decades
Inaugural IWA meeting The next time they met was 15th February 1946 for the inaugural meeting of the Inland Waterways Association, as they had, by then, decided to call it. Six people were recorded as in attendance at the meeting, which took place at the Aickmans’ Gower Street apartment, IWA’s headquarters for its first five years. The membership rate was set at one guinea, Robert was appointed chairman and Tom honorary secretary, and three waterways – the Kennet & Avon Canal, River Avon Navigation and River Stour – were identified as particularly under threat and in need of close monitoring. It was the beginning of an endlessly tough and demanding campaign to save Britain’s waterways, which started apace, gathering 150 members in just eight months when the first Bulletin was published in October 1946, and continues today. This article draws heavily from David Bolton’s feature ‘All Aboard at Tardebigge’ published in the September 2015 issue of Waterways World magazine.
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1982 A plaque commemorating the meeting between Tom Rolt and Robert Aickman aboard Cressy in 1945 was unveiled at Tardebigge Top Lock by the president of the Worcester & Birmingham Canal Society, Cyril Smith, in 1982. The plaque is erroneously dated 1946.
1995 The 50th anniversary was celebrated by an evening of appropriate readings and music from the 1940s, an event held in conjunction with the Worcester & Birmingham Canal Society in Tardebigge Church.
2005 To commemorate the 60th anniversary, ‘Tom’ (Ivor Caplan) and ‘Robert and Ray’ (Michael and Beccy Smith Keary), walked the route from Bromsgrove station to Tardebigge where Cressy was moored and the first meeting took place. A second plaque – correcting the date of the first – was also unveiled by Sonia Rolt, Tom’s second wife and herself a canal campaigner.
2020 While Covid-19 put paid to any large-scale celebrations this summer (and caused the postponement of the IWA Festival of Water at Worcester until 2021), the 75th anniversary will be marked by a small event (lockdown restrictions permitting) by the IWA Birmingham, Black Country & Worcester Branch in August. Members have also tidied the area around the plinth on which the plaques are fixed.
DAVE PEARSON
Wyre Piddle in 1938). “The expense of reviving the Avon locks would not be so great as is suggested here [in an enclosed letter]. It is a good example of the sort of thing the Society might accomplish if it really prospered,” Tom discerned (though it would be five years before the restoration of the Lower Avon was started). After a month-long gap in correspondence while the couples enjoyed separate holidays, Tom wrote to Robert on 18th September about arranging their next meeting: “Owing to the fall of the year and the fact that my job is not yet at an end etc, we have decided it would be better for all concerned if you visited Cressy for a stay and taste of canal travel next spring when, all being well, we hope to be on the move again.” The Aickmans took an opportunity to persuade the Rolts to make their overdue visit to stay with them in London on 19th November when Tom received an invitation from the Prime Minister’s office. “We have been asked to Dinner on Tuesday November 20th by Atlee’s Secretary to meet a man who is crazy about canals. His name is [Charles] Hadfield and he has something to do with the OUP [Oxford University Press]. He writes learned essays on canals!” Tom explained.
TONY KOZARY
Tom Rolt steering Cressy on the Grand Union Canal.
Autumn 2020 23/07/2020 15:08
Fundraising
FUND-AMENTAL QUESTIONS Fundraising has been turned on its head by the coronavirus pandemic and many charities are suffering dramatic falls in income alongside increased pressure on services. In this four-page special, Waterways looks at how IWA can navigate the challenges ahead – and what members can do to help
“We’ll be redoubling our efforts” IWA's fundraising officer Ellen Hawes outlines how recent events have impacted on the organisation The implications of Covid-19 are massive in the charity sector. Organisations and funders are experiencing losses in income – for funders this means their grant pots will be smaller. As a result many funders have suspended grant giving or are diverting funds into the health and well-being of those directly affected by Covid-19. The impact of reduced availability of funding for navigation authorities, restorations and waterways projects remains to be seen, but the situation is likely to be challenging for some time. Meanwhile, the number of urgent fundraising appeals to members of the public has increased. Many people are finding these messages hard to take in, especially as they are dealing with their own difficulties and financial pressures.
Impact on IWA Some of these impacts are still difficult to gauge, but it’s fair to say the coming months won’t be easy! IWA has seen: A Lower numbers of new members joining the Association as so many events haven’t happened this year. This has meant a loss of income from subscriptions and donations A Loss of grant funding as funded activities, such as volunteer projects and canal camps, have been cancelled and grants can no longer be made or claimed. There will also be the impact of the diversion of many grant funds into support for the Covid crisis A Loss of income as our two key income-generating events have been cancelled and our trading activity suspended A Loss of income from cancelled activities such as our Canal Camp volunteer holidays, which attract around 400 volunteers each year and represent income of around £25,000 to the charity A Losses of upwards of 12% expected on investment income A Thousands of volunteer hours have been lost this year with a subsequent detrimental effect on the maintenance, improvement and restoration of the waterways. It hasn’t all been bad news, however, as lockdown has led to an explosion of innovative virtual Autumn 2020 019-22 fundraisingNEW2 SH AH SS.indd 19
fundraising events, such as online quiz nights, bingo and challenges at home. IWA webinars have proved extremely successful where physical meetings have not been possible. Many of our branches plan to continue offering virtual meetings and talks as part of their programme of supporter events for the remainder of this year and into 2021.
How can members help? We are incredibly grateful for the Ellen holds regular funding surgeries for support of our members, as we know restoration groups and other waterways many are experiencing some very projects. difficult personal circumstances or, through no fault of their own, are missing the opportunities to join in with our usual activities. Be reassured that our team has managed to work through this crisis for the long-term prospects of our waterways. We hope we can pull together in the coming months to resume our waterside activities and get back on track with our volunteer-led events. We are keenly aware of the financial pressures people are facing. However, a little can go a long way in helping to make a difference. Don’t underestimate the boost our team gets from someone buying a raffle ticket, making a donation, continuing or increasing their subscription, or letting us know that they are planning for the long term and are thinking of leaving a gift to IWA in their will.
IWA will continue supporting the waterways We’ll be redoubling our efforts to support the waterways sector. Our Restoration team has been helping canal societies get back on site after lockdown and we will be fundraising to keep this support in place through grant applications. Although all of our Canal Camp working holidays have been cancelled this year, we are already working on our programme for 2021 and alongside the cancelled Camps we plan to run several new ones. Our Campaigns team is busy on campaigns to protect the waterways from the worst of HS2 and to ensure the spotlight remains on the underfunded waterways of East Anglia. We are celebrating our 75th anniversary this year and WRG celebrates 50 years of restoring canals. The birthdays are a chance to demonstrate just how much has been achieved over the last decades but also allow us to talk about our plans for the coming years. In this issue of Waterways you will have seen our Restoration raffle tickets. Please do support the work of our volunteers by buying tickets, and remember that for every book of tickets you buy we can potentially double the money through grant income. IWA Waterways |
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“A tale of love and a generous gift” A house left to IWA in a will should provide long-term income for the charity The Boat House at Yelvertoft, a property that is known to many users of the Grand Union Canal in Northamptonshire as it sits right at the water’s edge, was left to the Association in the will of Mary Jackson. Mary passed away in 2018 having shared the property with her husband Michael, who died in 1995. Michael’s brother, Ian, is the former chair of IWA Warwickshire Branch and he showed us round the property last year. Ian told a tale of the wonderful love between Michael and Mary and their shared passion for boating as well as for IWA. Their beautiful home was originally constructed as a pub with stables, and it dated from around the same time as when the canal was built. The land to the east of the pub acted as a coal yard for a number of years, before becoming a houseboat mooring for a local doctor. In the 1980s the house’s owners had secured permission to construct a small marina in the large paddock and they even took the first steps towards seeing this business idea come to fruition. However, their plans were put on ice and the house was offered for sale. It was then that Michael and Mary came to see the property and fell in love with its waterside location.
Improvements over the years Over the ensuing years Mary and Michael demolished the stables and made gradual improvements to the main property while retaining the footprint of the original pub, with a very large reception room and smaller, private sitting area (a former snug?). The rebuilding of the house included raising floor heights and installing insulation, and the addition of a conservatory and solar panels made it more comfortable and practical for modern family living. Mary wanted the property to remain as a home after her death so that the passion she shared for the waterways with her husband could live on through the house. Her wish was that the property’s canalside location should be utilised as fully as possible n, This photo of Mike Jackso for boating and the er, the property’s former own enjoyment of the se. hou the in d was foun waterways – two things dear to both their hearts. Ian says his family are keen for IWA to “obtain maximum benefit from the property”, and the Association is incredibly grateful to the Jackson family for their generous gift.
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The house offers mooring potential as well as being an attractive rental proposition.
Five bedrooms – and fabulous canalside views.
Rental proposition A small team of volunteers and staff was brought together in 2019 to work out how to make the most of the property as a rental proposition, while remaining true to Mary’s will and the couple’s passion for the waterways. A builder was appointed following the approval of specifications drawn up by the group. The bathrooms have now been upgraded and a new kitchen installed to suit the requirements of a 21st-century family. Once complete, the five-bedroom house will be an attractive prospect for renters. Outside, the paddock could be used for grazing or horse care, and the moorings that run alongside represent a further potential income stream for IWA. After meeting with Ian and viewing the property, we took a stroll along the towpath opposite the Boat House and found a bench with a dedication to Michael. It’s a lovely spot to sit, ponder the view and reflect on the gift left to IWA, which will bring long-lasting benefits. With thanks to Ian Jackson for the tour of the property and to IWA volunteers Mike Dyer and Chris Howes for seeing this legacy project through to the point of rental.
Passing on property If you would like to talk to a member of IWA’s staff team about the potential for leaving a gift in your will or request a Legacy pack, please call us on 01494 783453 or email legacy@waterways.org.uk. Autumn 2020 24/07/2020 09:25
PCAS
Fundraising
A £200,000 bequest left by former IWA honorary consultant engineer and trustee, Tony Harrison, was recently split four ways across works that IWA felt best reflected Tony’s personal and professional interests.
Volunteers at work on Thornton Lock on the Pocklington Canal – one of the projects funded in part by the Tony Harrison legacy.
“Good Deeds (of Variation)” John Dodwell offers advice on making better use of legacies and reducing the tax bill Most of us know that if you Gift Aid your subscriptions/donations to charities they can claim back 25% more from the Inland Revenue. Many will be aware that money or anything else left to charity in a will is exempt from inheritance tax. Readers may also know that if 10% or more of what’s taxable (the “chargeable estate” after exemptions) is given to charity, the rate of inheritance tax is reduced from 40% to 36% – that’s on the whole sum, not just what’s given to charity. But did you realise that even if nothing was left to charity in a will, the beneficiaries can sign a Deed of Variation to make donations, or increase the amounts, and so reduce the tax bill?
Longer life expectancy There was a time when your parents died in their 70s and left you money when you were young enough to need it. Not so much nowadays, it seems. With parents going on into their 80s or even 90s, all too often by the time you get your inheritance, you wonder whether you now need it – or, at least, need all of it. Of course, personal circumstances vary from family to family but it is noteworthy that legacies are becoming an increasing source of funding for charities. It’s also noteworthy that children often sell their parents’ homes. They’ve usually got their own property by now and don’t want to move back to where their parents lived. So the house sale means a cash windfall – which is also subject to inheritance tax (subject to exemptions at lower levels).
“Varying the will, in this case, sees charities better off by £100,000” valued at £500,000. With inheritance tax at 40%, that means £200,000 for the government and £300,000 for Joe. Joe doesn’t need all the money and has always been a waterways supporter, Gift Aiding his subscriptions to IWA and other waterway restoration societies (but this isn’t essential for will varying). He doesn’t want to sit on all this money and see another 40% go in tax on his death. He would like to give away half of his inheritance. He signs a Deed of Variation to his parents’ will agreeing this, and naming the charities he wishes to benefit from the money totalling £250,000 (half the gross inheritance before tax). This reduces the tax rate to 36%, charged only on the remaining £250,000. The result? Only £90,000 for the government, £160,000 for Joe and £250,000 goes to charities. If Joe hadn’t changed the will and given half his (net) inheritance to charity, then the government would have got £200,000, Joe would have got £150,000 and the charities would have received (only!) £150,000. Varying the will, in this case, sees charities better off by £100,000 – and, incidentally, Joe by £10,000 too. Of course, Joe doesn’t have to be so generous. Maybe he’s got grandchildren he wants to help – but not too much as he wants the grandchildren to earn their own way through life. There’s still some left for charities.
Illustrating the point Let’s look at an example. Joe’s parent passes away; his other parent died some years earlier. His parents had a house worth, say, £750,000 and various investments. Let’s assume that the whole lot, after all exemptions and reliefs, is
The River Stour Trust received £8,600 from the Tony Harrison legacy for new lock gates at Stratford St Mary Lock.
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Waterway beneficiaries Maybe you’re wondering what this article has to do with you. Well, you’re interested in the inland waterways – or else you wouldn’t be reading this. So you might also be interested in varying a will so you can direct money to waterways charities like IWA. That’s at national level. Or maybe you’d like to help one of the many restoration charities – goodness, they need the money. Or perhaps a local community boat is doing sterling work that you want to support. It’s up to you. Of course, if you’re thinking of making your own will, you could simplify things by leaving money direct to a charity such as IWA – and not rely on your children to do “the right thing”! Naturally, this article doesn’t claim to offer proper, professional advice. Always chat to a solicitor first. By the way, Deeds of Variation need to be dealt with within two years of the death. IWA Waterways |
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“This is the year to volunteer” John Brice, IWA Chiltern Branch's events & fundraising officer, hopes his experiences might inspire other members to organise money-making initiatives for local branches What attracted you to this voluntary role? I wanted to do something to help IWA raise funds to assist restoration on the Wendover Arm. Most of the role is working outside, which I like, and it is satisfying when you see what your fundraising has achieved.
Had you ever volunteered before taking this position? Yes, I have been a member of IWA since 1985 and have volunteered since then. I was on the Chiltern committee in 1986 as publicity officer, and was involved in setting up the first Wendover Canal Festival. I took on IWA Chiltern Branch’s fundraising at all the subsequent Wendover festivals.
How many hours do you spend on the role per week? I am busiest during festival season, especially the week before and the week after (clearing up). I don’t count the hours, but it can run to an eight- to ten-hour day. Out of season you’re looking at more like two to three hours per week.
What do you enjoy about it? I enjoy the outdoors, the camaraderie of being part of a team and the social side, which has built up over time, and that comes from working with likeminded people.
What's been your biggest achievement in the role to date? I think it must be Rickmansworth Canal Festival. Chiltern Branch was in right from the beginning, setting up the first event with Rickmansworth Waterways Trust. I was originally the humble harbour master who made good and got promoted to ‘waterspace manager’. The first year we had 18 visiting boats, and over the following 25 years that increased to 120 – the maximum you can fit in the Batchworth to Stockers Lock pound! The money raised from the mooring fees went directly into the Rickmansworth Waterways Festival account, which was later spent on a new building to house their education centre at Batchworth Lock. I have long admired the education programme that Rickmansworth Waterways Trust founded, providing awardwinning tuition for school children featuring waterways heritage, how canals work, nature, geography and much more. The new building provides more space, enhancing their work, and the annual festival was a major source of A fundraising favourite for John: the bustling Rickmansworth Canal Festival in 2017.
John has been volunteering for IWA since 1985.
income. When the building was completed there was a great feeling of pride and satisfaction among all the volunteers – a job well done.
Why do you think it is important for IWA branches to fundraise? I believe in canal restoration. Protecting our heritage is important – but that’s not the only reason. Every mile of restored canal provides a linear mile of national park that delivers, in turn, leisure opportunities for walking, fishing, cycling, canoeing and, of course, a home for our wildlife. It also brings social and economic benefits to the community. I believe IWA supports more canal restoration projects than any other waterway campaigning charity; that sort of commitment requires some serious fundraising, and that’s why we do it!
Do you have any top fundraising tips? Always collect for a specific project. It will be easier to get people’s support if they know what their money will be spent on, and you will get more in the bucket by saying: “I’m collecting to help IWA buy two more vans for Waterway Recovery Group,” rather than just saying: “I am collecting for IWA.” And always have something on your stand for the kids to play with. That way you’ll get the opportunity to talk to the mums and dads about what IWA is doing, membership and fundraising initiatives without too much interference from little Billy!
How does the role play to your strengths? I previously ran my own business and had to learn diverse skills in buying, selling, negotiating deals and managing employees’ problems. I feel those experiences are very much relevant to my fundraising role today.
What type of person would the role suit? Ideally a good communicator with a friendly, outgoing personality and something of a ‘salesperson’ about them too.
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Enjoy a break on the Cambridgeshire Waterways Day Boat Hire
Our day boat hire lets you meander along Fenland Waterways. The boat can hold up to 10 people. It has a galley complete with hob, fridge and cutlery. A toilet and seating area. Collection from 9:30am, returning for departure at 6pm.
Cambridgeshire Narrowboat holidays
Check availability and book online now Visit our website for special offers
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Visit Peterborough, Ely or Cambridge over 1-2 weeks, weekends or short breaks. Ranging from 2-7 berth, avaliable Spring, Summer or Autumn.
Moorings
Marina holds 200 boats, daily or on a long term basis, boats up to 70ft. Slipway can accommodate up to 70ft boat together with hoist and cradle facilities.
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MOORING BOAT SALES CHANDLERY SERVICES KINGS ROAD, EVESHAM, WORKS. WR11 3XZ Tel: 01386 768 500 www.eveshammarina.co.uk Autumn 2020 p023_iwa.indd 23
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MARK WATTS PHOTOGRAPHY
HIRE-BOATING IN THE 'NEW NORMAL' It’s not just coronavirus that’s shaking up how hire-companies are operating. Environmental concerns, aesthetic appeal and how often we can check our emails are all transforming the way the industry operates. Waterways takes a closer look at some key differences you might notice on your next holiday afloat Pandemic procedures As Waterways went to press hire-boat companies were boatyards at any one time. only just emerging from Covid-19 lockdown, with holidays And it’s not only while aboard permitted again on English canals from the start aboard the boat that your hireof July. But there are caveats. Continued social distancing holiday may feel different. rules will see adapted handover procedures which, Lockdown temporarily shut admits Shire Cruisers on its website, might “seem odd”. canalside pubs, restaurants and For some hire firms this may entail watching a short visitor attractions too – all part instructional film to reduce face-to-face tuition aboard of the pleasure of exploring our the boat. It’s probable that only one member of the hiring inland waterways. Fortunately party will be allowed on the boat with a member of staff pubs and restaurants were at any one time – with remaining passengers forced to given the green light to reopen wait ashore. British Marine, in its Covid-19 guidance for from 4th July as well, albeit hire-boats and charter vessels, published in May, states with reduced indoor seating. that when a safe distance cannot be maintained between Most museums should also be the customer and member of staff, PPE should be worn back on their feet, but don’t by the latter, including but not limited to gloves and a be surprised to find one-way mask/face shield. Customers may also be required to systems and timed tickets. There’s no masking the fact hire-boat wear a mask, and the tiller, throttle controls and other Audio-guides may no longer be handover procedures will look very touch points should be wiped down and cleaned when/if available and face coverings will different over the coming months. switching between customer and staff. likely be required. Shire Cruisers is asking hirers to take extra care when cleaning the boat, Hirers can find advice about visiting the particularly hard surfaces, at the end of the holiday. Enhanced cleaning canal network safely, including tips on social routines will necessarily mean changeovers become more complex for hire distancing and keeping away from moored boats staff, with particular attention paid to the cleaning of objects and surfaces where people may be living aboard, on Canal that are touched regularly, such as door handles, boat keys, guard rails etc. & River Trust’s website: canalrivertrust.org.uk/ British Marine advises that all loose items onboard the vessel including but enjoy-the-waterways/safety-on-our-waterways/ not limited to lifejackets, user manuals, kitchen equipment and laundry coronavirus. For the latest government must be cleaned/disinfected before new hirers are given the boat. guidance on safe travel, visit: gov.uk/guidance/ Anglo Welsh, meanwhile, has introduced signage and staggered boat coronavirus-covid-19-safer-travel-guidance-forcollection/return times to reduce the number of people on site at their passengers.
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Hire-boating
OLIVIER CHAUVIN
Electric hire-boating on the Mon & Brec with Castle Narrowboats.
Electric dreams Despite lots of chatter about ‘greening’ our waterways, electric hire-boats are still the exception rather than the norm. On CRT waters there’s only one hire company offering electric narrowboat holidays – Castle Narrowboats on the Mon & Brec. Its owners admit they were extremely fortunate to inherit the set-up from the boatyard’s previous operators – former submariners who understood and embraced the technology more than 20 years ago, and partnered with energy supplier SWALEC to install a succession of six well-spaced charging points along the waterway to sustain it. Since then, a second boat has been added to the electric fleet, and further expansion isn’t being ruled out. “They’re our most popular craft,” a spokesperson told us. “With a quiet engine you can cruise the canal and be at peace with your surroundings. The boats cover 18 miles on a single charge, so you don’t need to recharge every night. Even when you do have to it’s very simple – just plug in and switch on.” The moorings for the charging points are reserved for electric boats, she added, and are situated where you are likely to want to stop and close to amenities. So why aren’t other companies following suit? “It’s simply not something on our agenda right now,” an industry representative told us. “The investment in technology for the boats would be an issue for a lot of operators. Plus it would require industry-wide effort to get the infrastructure in place.” Not if you’ve got a sympathetic navigation authority onboard, however, as is the case of French hire outfit Nicols. In 2018 the company designed, built and launched its fully electric battery-powered boat, the first of its kind from any operator in Continental Europe – thanks to an innovative partnership with Voies Navigables de France, which installed ten charging points dotted roughly 11km apart on the Marne-Rhine and Saar canals in the Alsace region. Corinne Dufaud, marketing manager for Nicols, explained: “While VNF was perfecting a charging system and infrastructure, our boat-builders were busy
Tout vert and it only takes two hours to charge! Nicols’ new Sixto Green hire-boat in France.
designing a stylish electric boat – the challenge for both parties being to provide a solution that was simple to use, an efficient source of power and all the while remaining sensitive to the waterways. The project is key to the future development potential of canal tourism and we’re confident that over the coming years we will see more and more ‘green’ boats on the waterways – proud that ours was the first!” Despite costing more than a comparable holiday on Nicols’ other craft, bookings have been robust. Key to its success is ease of use. Lithium-ion batteries allow up to six hours of cruising time if travelling at an average speed of 6kmph-8kmph, which works out at about 30km-40km depending on the number of locks en route. The charging points themselves allow a fast full charge in less than two hours. Effectively, you can top up within the time it takes to eat an alfresco lunch washed down with a bottle of the local vino. These terminals complement existing charging facilities that can be found in various ports along the way, although they’re much slower and will probably necessitate an overnight stay
Green credentials While they may not be offering electric hire-boats just yet, you’ll still notice many UK operators keen to underline the green credentials of a holiday aboard their craft. Anglo Welsh, for example, is gradually taking steps to help reduce its carbon footprint, particularly when it comes to designing boats. All its new Bond, Heritage and Constellation class boats have energy-efficient LED lighting and the latest engines with lower emissions. The company is also keen to point out it offers good recycling facilities at all its yards, encouraging holidaymakers to separate their rubbish while on the boat and, if they miss recycling opportunities on their journey, to dispose of them responsibly on their return to base. It provides environmentally friendly cleaning products and fire logs (made from recycled sawdust and wax instead of coal) aboard too.
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Anglo Welsh has been taking steps to reduce the environmental impact of its boating holidays.
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MARK WATTS PHOTOGRAPHY
Hire-boating never used to be a byword for interior chic. Accommodation has traditionally comprised a basic bathroom, bunks, a functional galley and sturdy dinette to chow down around come evening. Increasingly, however, operators are cottoning on to the fact nice-looking boat cabins secure greater customer satisfaction, and are moving fast to update their fleets. Black Prince is just one company to have recently invested in interior design. The firm was inspired to re-think its layouts after one of its own hirers, Paul Hervey, left constructive feedback following his holiday. Paul, who runs a design company serving A new look for the the hotel and holiday home industry, explains: “I Black Prince fleet. thought nothing more of it, so was really surprised when they contacted me. It turns out they’d talked about rebranding the fleet but had yet to pursue the idea. As I’m a designer and an experienced hireboater, they were keen to hear my thoughts and we soon met up to discuss initial plans.” Paul’s vision was to translate what he’d been doing in high-end holiday homes onto narrowboats to increase the appeal of floating breaks to younger generations without alienating existing or older customers. “The style on the boats felt very 1980s – efficient and functional but not at all exciting. The top-end cottages and hotels that I’ve worked on are aimed at the young professional market, which is enormous, and I thought that by incorporating
Soft furnishings and accessories add a pop of colour to the bedroom.
MARK WATTS PHOTOGRAPHY
Interior makeover
some of the same design elements – whether they were rustic, mellow, Swedish etc – it could give the hire-boats an edge.” Bringing in new ideas involved a bit of compromise between designer and boat-builder to allow for onboard practicalities like hidden tanks that couldn’t be moved, and to ensure health and safety requirements were met. “Black Prince was very open to all my suggestions and it was great that they had the guts to do something different with their craft. There were a few things that I might have changed more dramatically on this first boat design – moving things around in the bathroom and galley areas, for example. But by incorporating new free-standing furniture and updating the flooring, wood choices, colour schemes and soft furnishings, we managed to create an attractive, aesthetically pleasing boutique feel.” Black Prince is taking a staged approached to redesigning its fleet, but this first boat is already available for hire from the firm’s Bromsgrove base. Paul’s interior updates are based on the current Black Prince shell design, and will be rolled out over the next year with existing craft refurbished in the new style as required. A rebranding project is still in the development stage but will see the exteriors of the boats sporting new colours to match marketing materials and a revamped website.
Stay connected Canal holidays used to euphemistically be described as get-away-fromit-all, not least because, with patchy phone signal and miles of isolation, our inland waterways can feel a stark change from the hustle and bustle of modern life. These days it’s not quite as easy to escape the 21st century. Wifi is standard on most hire-boats, in some cases supporting as many as ten devices connected at any one time. You’ll also probably have a choice of TV channels for your viewing pleasure. Before you settle down to stream the latest series of The Crown, however, bear in mind that many operators insist their internet is more suited to checking emails and social media updates, rather than full film downloads! And remote areas of the system won’t always have strong signal, so be mindful of potential frustrations there too. That said, it’s still a massive technological leap from hiring back in the early days of leisure cruising, where contact with the outside world was dependent on a pocketful of small change and locating your nearest phone box…
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Holidaying afloat doesn’t have to mean going digital cold turkey.
Autumn 2020 23/07/2020 15:10
PUDDLING CRUISERS
PUDDLING CRUISERS
Hire-boating
Go bigger – and better? – with Puddling Cruisers’ wide-beam Serenity.
The palatial galley.
Think big For claustrophobes, or those aspiring to a little luxury on their boating holiday, it’s now possible to hire a wide-beam instead. It may limit your cruising options to bigger canals, but it gives you carte blanche when it comes to your packing. Puddling Cruisers, a family-run business based at Milton Keynes Marina, is one such example, offering 55ft x 10ft Serenity for Grand Union Canal forays without feeling cramped. But having enough room to swing the proverbial cat is just the tip of the opulence iceberg – you’ll also find
Molton Brown toiletries, a complimentary bottle of champagne waiting, mobile 4G wifi, flat-screen TVs in the bedroom and saloon, a full-sized shower and a galley that wouldn’t look out of place in a plush city apartment. And there exist a growing number of other widebeam hire-boat providers across the network’s broad canals, so you won’t be limited for choice.
Digging deep, demographic & duration Unfortunately, all these innovations mean hire-boating isn’t cheap anymore (although, arguably, it’s still competitive compared with the cottage rental market). The cost of insurance, training, the boats themselves, licensing, providing 24-hour coverage – it all adds up. It’s perhaps for that reason that the demographic of hirers has also changed in recent years. Most are now 40-plus, although there is a growing trend towards multi-generational holidays, where grandparents get time with their grandchildren, and mum and dad can capitalise on the free babysitting to soak up the pleasures of cruising. Other noticeable changes include greater flexibility concerning the length of the hire. Customers need no longer commit to a week-plus on the waterways, which can be a deterrent to first-timers who’d prefer to dip their toe in the waters before signing up for the long-haul, or anyone suffering time poverty because of work or other obligations. Shorter breaks still provide wonderful opportunities to explore the network. The Drifters website flags up two routes which particularly reward a three- to four-
nighter. The first, departing from a hire base at Etruria in Stoke-on-Trent, takes holidaymakers along the picturesque Caldon Canal, reaching Cheddleton Flint Mill in around eight hours, passing through 12 locks and travelling just over 11 miles. Further north you can take a mini-cruise to Todmorden and back along the Rochdale Canal from Sowerby Bridge. You certainly won’t be skimping on locks, tackling 34 over the 20-mile route. Along the way, boaters pass through the beautiful Calder Valley village of Mytholmroyd, the birthplace of Ted Hughes, and the old mill town of Hebden Bridge, nestled in a fork in the hills, with an amazing variety of shops, cafés, restaurants and pubs, and a series of scenic waymarked walks.
These days most hirers are over the age of 40.
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new design
cards & gi IWA christmas
£3.60
per pack
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FREE POSTAGE FREE Whitchurch POSTAGE Arm of the Llangollen Canal £7.99 Chirk Aqueduct on the Llangollen Canal
Christmas Cards
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new design
Printed by Judge Sampson of Hastings (01424) 420919
Original painting by Ann Farrell
new design
back by popular demand
inside:
Bridge No. 7 on a Wintry Caldon Canal Printed by Judge Sampson of Hastings (01424) 420919
2020 Calendar
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£5.50 2021
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Photographed by Rosalind Kirk
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2020 Calendar
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IWA Branded merchandise
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297mm x 210mm. Opens to 297mm x 420mm at full length.
2021 IWA A4 Calendar (Landscape) Code x038 One month to view with space for daily
2020 IWA Calendar (Portrai
320mm x 172mm. notes. Illustrated with a full page 2021 IWA Calendar (Portrait) Code x035 One month to view with space for daily waterway scene. One month to view with spa 320mm x 172mm. notes. Illustrated with a full page notes.forIllustrated with a wa waterway scene. One month to view with space daily R detachable postcard format notes. Illustrated with a waterway scene in a 297mm x 210mm. Opens to 297mm x 420mm at full length.
IWA A5 Lined (70 pages) March 2021 Notebooks 31 30 Monday
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Blue - 22Code23 IWA300 25 24 Green - Code IWA301 4 3 2 1 Red - Code IWA302 St David’s Day
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IWA Mugs
Code x112 Calendar Envelope (separat
Code
Calendar Envelope (separate) Code x036 IWA303x036 £0.20 Code
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St Patrick’s Day
Original painting by Dave Gardham
£7.50 per set
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Kidderminster Church detachable postcard format.
Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, Llangollen Canal Photographer: Purple128
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7
£5.00 each
(ceramic mugs in a gift box) 78mm diameter, 97mm height.
Postage is free on specified
Burgeeitems, however £18.99 when they
Blue - Code IWA304 Green - Code IWA305 Red - Code IWA306 Why not buy a set? Code IWA308
C Lots mo BurgeeO re x designs 480mm with toggl availab water le atDress y wa s. bu org.u yIWA k/ shop Blue - F Red- FLC O Green -
IWA Ca 480mm are x 240mm purchased with nonwith toggle and tie line. specified items, UK postage 100% cotto £12.00 per set
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&s gifts
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s
GE al
Printed on high quality card. Supplied in packs of ten per design.
£3.60
Message inside:
£5.50 per pack “With Best Wishes for
Christmas and the New Year”
e x127
new design
Seas
ting
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From the b ott om of From the bottom of our waterways
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w with space for daily with a waterway scene in a Recent Christmas Favourites ard format. £3.25
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Code x127 Chirk Aqueduct, Llangollen Original painting by Dave Gardham
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pecified en they IWA Cap nonpostage 100% cottol drill. ostage Rip-Strip TM size adjuster. er £20. osts apply Code x107 Packet House painting by Dave Gardham rseas. Navy -Original Code iwa45 ails.
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Code x134
Every year IWA volunteers are out on the banks of canals and rivers the length and breadth of the country to haul plastics, shopping trolleys, bicycles, mobile phones, motorbikes and much more out of the water. Over the years our volunteers have removed hundreds of tonnes of debris from Britain’s waterways, including the Grand Union Canal and the navigations around Birmingham.
ar (Portrait) - Code x035
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Waterway Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation
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Gree
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Free Postage When you spend £20 or more
23/07/2020 12:02
restoration HUB: Digging Deeper
Waterways talks to Ralph Mills, leader of the WRG Canal Camps that uncovered a lost lock cottage at Ty Coch
ALL PICTURES BY RALPH MILLS
There’s just one known photograph of the cottage at Shop Lock.
Work is mostly focussed on restoring navigation and maintaining locks or buildings but we should also be looking at them as sources of knowledge about the past, not just as places of leisure and pleasure for the present.” Everything on an archaeological site must be carefully recorded.
Shop Lock
The restoration of the Ty Coch flight on the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal in Wales is an ongoing project supported by IWA’s Waterway Recovery Group. Volunteers have been assisting with the reconstruction of the locks as part of the Waterworks programme, a Heritage Lottery-funded partnership between Torfean County Borough Council and the Monmouthshire, Brecon & Abergavenny Canal Trust, since 2014 on WRG Canal Camps. But the discovery of a large amount of pottery fragments near Shop Lock led to WRG undertaking an archaeological dig – the first of its kind on the canal network – that spanned six weeks over three summers starting in 2017.
ARCHAEOLOGY ON THE CANALS Heading up the team was Ralph Mills, an archaeologist with 30 years’ experience in the field. He first became involved with Canal Camps in 2008 while walking along the Grand Western Canal and reading a plaque about WRG’s involvement in the discovery of the remains of a boat-lift. His interest was piqued and he joined the next available Canal Camp. With expert knowledge in the significance of artefacts buried beneath the topsoil, Ralph has been at the forefront of a handful of specialist WRG digs that have sought to investigate lost canalside structures. These have mainly been on the Stover Canal where the remains of a boat and granite tramway were excavated at Ventiford Basin, and on the Mon & Brec Canal at Ty Coch. “The canals are a 2,500-mile long archaeological site,” explains Ralph. “But there hasn’t been much practical archaeology on them to date. There are a few recently opened waterways but most canals are at least 100, if not 200, years old. The first archaeological dig at Shop Lock took place in 2017.
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When working on the Ty Coch flight in 2016, objects discovered just south of Shop Lock drew Ralph’s attention: an unusually large number of pottery pieces, mostly featuring blue-and-white designs, and other domestic rubbish. “It seemed to me that there was more of this stuff than there should have been. Ty Coch isn’t actually next door to anywhere; there’s a hamlet about 1km up the canal, there’s what used to be a cider mill about 0.5km in the other direction, but there’s nothing to explain why there should be this amount of material scattered here.” Beside the lock was once a workshop with a saw pit, uncovered by a previous excavation by the Ancient Cwmbran Society in 2013. It was likely to have been used for building and maintaining lock gates (hence the name Shop Lock), and was located close to the foundations of a further building, marked on an 1890s Ordnance Survey map and thought to be a lock cottage. Demolished in the late 1950s, nobody in the local area seemed to know anything about the cottage but Ralph persuaded WRG that it was worth investigating.
Uncovering the cottage The first dig took place in 2017 over two week-long Canal Camps. Among the 100 or so volunteers involved
WRG volunteers have been helping to restore the Ty Coch flight on the Mon & Brec since 2014.
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restoration hub
The tiled fireplace was uncovered during the 2018 dig. Expanding the trench revealed the cottage had two rooms.
Volunteer Anne-Marie Burdett uncovered the first evidence of the cottage.
The plan of the cottage.
in the project over the three seasons, only two had any relevant archaeology experience, so Ralph was tasked with training the enthusiastic group in the basic skills needed to scrape away layers of soil without damaging any potential finds. “Archaeology is quite a demanding discipline as you only get one chance at things,” explains Ralph. “If you were to dig something and destroy it before being able to record it, you can’t go back in time to dig it again more carefully. That’s why the training aspect of this is really important.” In that year, Ralph’s intuition was proved to be spot on when volunteers exposed stones that formed the base of two walls, a doorway and two mortarcement floors. Expanding the size of the excavation site over the next two years revealed a building with at least two ground-floor rooms, one of which contained a fireplace and two brick structures (“Almost certainly for a copper boiler, meaning it would have been a scullery,” surmises Ralph), as well as an external passageway with a brick and flagstone floor over a drainage system. Ralph and his teams of volunteers spent the final fortnight at Shop Lock meticulously plotting out, measuring and photographing the cottage’s remains. Working with MBACT, they made the site safe in the hope that it can be easily uncovered in the future should plans to make it into a visitor attraction come to fruition. “Normally we would have refilled the site but the local trust decided that they wanted it to be visible. That involved shifting quite a lot of gravel, laying down a textile membrane and putting new gravel over the top,” explains Ralph. “We also had to consolidate the walls – they were made using a quite soft lime mortar, so we had to strengthen them. We used a mortar that was radically different in colour, which means that if someone comes along in future years to remove or record what was done in 2019, it will be a reasonably easy process.”
An abundance of material like this was discovered below the pound at Shop Lock.
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Mystery rubbish The collection of fragments that first indicated Shop Lock was worth investigating, however, was located a short distance from the cottage, below the lock pound. “One of the fascinating things about the area is that it is crammed full of rubbish – a slightly odd mixture of 19th- and early 20th-century domestic and industrial objects,” Ralph comments. “We had material working backwards from the very recent past (a baby’s shoe and dummy, for example), to an abundance of transferprinted pottery featuring huge variations in designs. Dozens of bits of clay pipe – local ones from Cardiff, others from Ireland – were found too and these are good for dating finds.” A few discoveries on the site hint at what might have gone on there. One example Ralph gives is remnants of a bicycle and its bell. “The lock-keeper here had a flight to look after, so it may have been his bicycle that he pedalled up and down the towpath. As archaeologists, there are little stories like this that we can propose as possibilities from the evidence that we find.” However, the reason for the large amount of material below the lock remains a mystery. “It’s miles from anywhere and I don’t think the lock-keepers would have gone that far from the cottage, over the canal and round the pound, to dump their rubbish,” says Ralph. “The working boaters didn’t live on their craft on the Mon & Brec, so it’s unlikely to be their rubbish that’s been dredged from the bottom of the canal.” “The puzzle is that we found stuff very similar to what we did on the Canal Camp I led on the Stover Canal about five years ago,” he continues. “A year or two before that I helped on a Canal Camp on the Swansea Canal and, lo and behold, we found the same sort of material there too. So there seems to be a relationship between canals or canalsides and collections of 19th-century rubbish, but I can’t answer what that connection is yet.” Painstakingly recorded, photographed and boxed up by Ralph, the finds from the Shop Lock site will be stored by the organisers of the Waterworks project with the long-term aim of them being incorporated into a visitor attraction. In the meantime, high-resolution photographs of the items will be available to view online (firesofprometheus.org). “Hopefully someone who’s as enthusiastic as me about transfer-printed pottery will be able to use those images in their own research on 19th-century sites, especially those related to canals,” says Ralph. While his expertise enabled the Shop Lock project to be undertaken, Ralph credits much of its success to the hard work of the volunteers, who ranged in age from teenagers to septuagenarians, and included representatives from WRG’s European partner, REMPART. IWA Waterways |
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ALISON SMEDLEY
Mr Mac
David in his famous blue camper van at the 40th anniversary of Ashtac in 2012.
David McCarthy’s contribution to canal restoration is huge. A long-standing Waterway Recovery Group volunteer, he’s been raising funds and pouring refreshments (from his famous blue camper van) for decades. Better known as ‘Mr Mac’, he tells IWA about his motivations and fondest memories When did you first become interested in canal restoration? It was really through my son, Ian, who is still very involved with the canals. He had friends in the local Scout group who were also canal enthusiasts, and their Scout leaders had bought a narrowboat for them all to use. One of the leaders, Harold Gwyther, was Ian’s Sunday school teacher, and making the most of his access to the narrowboat he took the class out on the boat one summer. Following this, Ian convinced us to hire a boat and go out as a family. We loved it and I ended up thinking that it wouldn’t take a lot to put the canals right again. Unfortunately, we missed the big clean-up at Ashton, the weather was wet and we had a friend staying, but Ian and I did go along to the later Operation Marple. As we got more involved with canal restoration, my wife decided if you can’t beat them join them, and my daughter Jane wasn’t far behind. We became quite involved with the Peak Forest Canal Society, especially recruiting new volunteers. Thirty years ago, we would phone people up to see if they would come along and help out. I would look through the newsletters of local canal groups and find the bit that welcomed new members. It usually gave their name and town and, if they lived close by, I would look them up in the phone book and give them a call to see if I could get them on board with our latest project. Cold calling took a bit of courage but they would often have a chat and in the end they might come along and lend a hand.
How did you become involved with WRG? In 1977 WRG North West was formed. The restoration of the Peak Forest Canal was complete and interest in the society was dwindling. Membership fell from 750 to 350 in two years. A few of us suggested transferring the whole of the Peak Forest Canal Society over to the Huddersfield Canal Society but the idea wasn’t welcomed, so the younger of us in the society split away and became WRG NW.
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I was involved with fundraising for the Peak Forest Canal Society so carried on in a similar role for WRG NW, but always pointed donors in the direction of restoration work if they were interested.
Tell us about your main fundraising technique, the so-called 'Paperchases'... Paperchases involved collecting people’s waste paper and then selling it on to raise money. They took place around ten times a year and were the primary source of income for WRG NW – at one time we were getting £30 per tonne of waste paper. Through Paperchases, we accidentally stumbled on the money books can bring in. We took the books out of the waste paper we had collected and decided to trial a second-hand bookstall, which went well and became another fundraising staple. They used to be stored, along with other WRG NW equipment, in my garage and cellars until I downsized. And the paper was kept in an area just outside of my lounge windows. There was a brick wall between me and the house next door about a foot high, which was perfect for storing it. The worst it ever got was one December, when we had the bright idea to do a collection just before Christmas, so people were having a real clear-out to make room for gifts etc. The guy who usually collected the paper had just given up, and the new people I found couldn’t
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JOHN HAWKINS
David McCarthy
Have you got a fondest memory from your time as a WRG volunteer? Are there any standout moments?
pick up for another few days. So I had 13 tonnes of waste paper, and only just enough room to get down the back steps of my house and walk out. It was absolutely solid with paper.
Are Paperchases still going strong? Unfortunately, after collecting waste paper for over 40 years, the paper merchant who had been providing the container to collect it decided it was no longer viable, and so our last Paperchase was on 7th April 2018.
You're legendary in WRG circles for the blue camper van you drove to restoration sites to dispense tea and broken biscuits for the volunteers. Can you tell us a bit more about it? In fact there were two vans. The first one I got was in the 1980s, and then we replaced it just before my wife died in 1995. The later one, which was also blue, is the one everyone would recognise. And it had heating – what luxury! It actually gave out warmth, which is more than could be said for the first one. I used to drive to WRG events and provide refreshments from it. Over the years I acquired several thermos flasks and I would set out from home with these flasks full of hot water. It used to take me quite some time to boil the damn stuff and fill them up but it was worth it – I was the most popular man on site! And people were always asking to stow valuables in the van too, like mobile phones or wallets. I always tried to oblige. I was only caught out once without milk and hot water – at an event to erect a fingerpost on the Macclesfield Canal. The local pub was closed too. We were scuppered! Unfortunately these days I’d have a few problems getting into and out of the van – it’s just a bit too high off the ground for someone of my age.
Finally, it's the 50th anniversary of WRG this year. How would you sum up its achievements and impact over the half-century? I’m just full of admiration for everything they do, and especially the sacrifices those early volunteers made and the discomfort they endured to get our canals back to the state we enjoy today. It’s hard for us to comprehend how tough it was for them. From Paperchases to Pat-a-Mac, David’s inventive fundraising has been hugely successful over the years.
MALCOLM BRIDGE
Turning waste paper into hard cash for WRG NW.
There have been a few but the most enjoyable thing, I think, was just feeling useful and being able to give people a bit of comfort on an uncomfortable day. I recently received a newsletter from the Hollinwood Canal Society, and the image on the cover of that brought back happy memories. It featured an aqueduct on the original road from Oldham to Ashton-under-Lyne, which I parked under on at least two occasions to serve brews. That was a satisfying time – seeing volunteers get out of the pouring rain to drink some tea and eat a few biscuits. Alright, it was still cold and miserable under there, but at least it was dry! The picture on the newsletter cover was taken earlier this year on a bright and sunny day. There are no leaves on the trees and you can see the aqueduct very clearly. It was very evocative.
You were made MBE for services to the waterways. What did that mean to you? I’m not against these types of awards, but I look around and see so many other people more deserving than me. When I analyse my time and effort I can’t help thinking I’m a non-starter! Volunteers are a great group and it’s a bit embarrassing that you’re talking to me in particular. All volunteers do what they can, I’m just lucky that I’ve been in a position to raise some money and that I’ve been retired for a while. We’re all in it together and it doesn’t matter how much or little any one of us contributes because in the end something is better than nothing.
Do you still have much to do with canal restoration these days? I still read about it, as I still get [WRG magazine] Navvies. I’ve been getting it since March 1970 and vividly remember signing up for it. I was walking up a frozen Peak Forest Canal in January with a Londoner, who turned out to be Graham Palmer. I gave him half a crown (12½ pence in today’s money). He had a stub of a pencil and I had the back of a fag packet on which to write my address. I received my first copy that March, and I’ve read them ever since.
Which restoration would you love to see completed in your lifetime? I’d have to say the Montgomery. It doesn’t need all that much to do it. It needs people to say ‘yes’, and then just let us get on with it.
Autumn 2020 032 Mr mac SH AH SS.indd 33
If you’ve been inspired by Mr Mac’s fundraising successes and would like to get involved, contact alex.melson@waterways.org.uk. To donate to IWA, visit waterways.org.uk/donate.
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Greener boating
Pamela May 2 is an electric-drive trip-boat with batteries charged by eight semi-flexible solar panels. The vessel is operated almost entirely using the solar input, the shore line being connected only when necessary in less favourable weather.
generation electric Alternative Propulsion Boating Group member David Struckett explores the options of solar and wind power on inland waterways craft With the principal aim of promoting a reduction in the use of fossil fuels and their harmful emissions, IWA’s Alternative Propulsion Boating Group has been researching electric drive for inland waterways craft, together with options for power generation (both on and off board) and storage. The topics covered so far have included solar and wind, examined here, together with shore line availability and types of battery storage, for the various cruising boats on our canals and rivers. Existing steel narrowboats, wooden craft and GRP cruisers may present difficult challenges when you’re considering changing the motor from internal combustion to electric drive – but there are many smaller improvements that could also significantly reduce fuel consumption. New or renovated craft, if designed with electric drive and specific choices (note the plural) of energy
source, should aim to be at least ‘net carbon neutral’ – and ideally use no fossil fuels in normal applications. Either way, the improved efficiency that electric drive offers can always be appreciated. In cases where a generator is installed to charge the batteries (sometimes referred to as a ‘serial hybrid’ after motor industry application, as opposed to a ‘parallel hybrid’, which incorporates a conventional engine), there are still choices you can make in terms of types of fuel and technology – a conventional generator adapted for ‘bio’ fuel or powered by a fuel cell, for example. In all cases, however, the possibility of wind or solar power offers the chance to reduce fuel and emissions – possibly to zero.
RUN BY THE SUN Solar panels
While the sun’s energy is free to use, solar panels can present you with a significant upfront cost. Monocrystalline or polycrystalline are the most common types of solar panel available, and usually come fixed in a rigid frame. In practice, polycrystalline panels are slightly less efficient in terms of power per unit area, but are a little cheaper to manufacture. A more expensive alternative – although under continuing development so prices are coming down – are semi-flexible panels, suitable for fixing down onto a curved roof, for example. These are currently between two and four times the price per watt than the rigid types, and require a little more area for each watt generated. They are, however, considerably lighter and, if assembled securely, are durable enough to walk on. They are produced using thin film techniques, sometimes referred to as ‘amorphous’.
Area, power and cost
Solar panels can be fitted to many types of inland craft.
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From current data, the area required is, on average, about 0.5 square decimetres per watt for rigid panels, which is very consistent over the range of about 20W to 360W panels (except a few ‘ideal’ examples that appear slightly lower). It’s worth noting, however, that the nominal power ratings given for the panels are normally the ‘maximum output’ – the amount of energy gathered under ideal sun conditions. This is seldom achieved, of course, but assuming panels are tested under controlled conditions, the ratings are comparable. When installed on a boat, a near-horizontal attitude would face the sky at all times, meaning at least some solar energy can be guaranteed during daylight hours. When moored, however, ensuring the panels are oriented due south and IWA Waterways |
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Rigid solar panels can be angled towards the sun while moored.
RUPERT SMEDLEY
Wind generators come in a variety of designs. Each have their merits but there’s no one-type-suits-all solution.
angled up about 40 degrees (or, even better, motorised to follow the path of the sun) will help towards reaching the maximum possible level of output for the longest part of the day. The cost of purchasing rigid panels is also fairly consistent across the different ranges currently available on the market, averaging about 92p per watt. The most cost-effective units appear to be about 80p per watt. Semi-flexible types require an average of 0.6 square decimetres per watt, and research showed that this costs around £1.95 per watt from one supplier, and even more from another – so shop around!
In practiCe It may be of assistance to consider the use of solar panels in, say, three ranges: ■ Small, for appliance charging and lights etc. For example, a 10W-50W solar panel with a single, small car-type battery. ■ Medium, for domestic 12V supply to include powering a fridge. This might be two x 80W panels and the usual two or three domestic batteries. ■ Large, for propulsion motors. This may require anything from a single 160W solar panel for an outboard motor in an open boat, to an array of at least eight large solar panels for a 48V system and goodsized battery bank on larger vessels. These systems could be kept separate for simplicity (i.e. isolated from each other) on cruising vessels, as in the event of a fault on any one system, the other would be unaffected while repairs were taking place.
BREEZY BOATING Wind generators
Windmills utilise very old technology, and simple windpowered chargers for small batteries have certainly been around since electricity became available in the 19th century. During the 20th century many DIY guides showed how a suitable fan with belt drive could be linked to a car dynamo (later an alternator) or arranged to charge 6V, 12V or 24V batteries with a car-type regulator. Since the 1940s, the Rutland and other makes of small wind generators have been widely used on yachts and in coastal areas.
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Wind fans fixed on poles are not very practical for cruising boats.
Inland use Sheltered housing estates and other built-up, urban areas simply do not experience the consistent winds that allow fans to be an effective way of generating power – unless the fans are mounted on a high pole, which is less convenient, more hazardous, and often unsightly to neighbours. Flat, open landscapes are naturally windier, and marinas situated in these types of countryside surroundings may permit a pole to be fixed to a static boat. On inland craft that are continually cruising and where headroom is important to clear bridges, a wind generator is not especially convenient – on the rare occasion that you find yourself on suitable moorings, you would have to remember to reattach the fan and pole. However, the use of a wind generator at moorings, if considered appropriate, would offer additional charging and therefore use of power after a period of windy weather – which of course could occur at night as well as day, unlike solar.
Size, power and cost Several suppliers can be found offering fans in a range of sizes. A 1m-diameter fan would give a nominal output of 200W at a wind speed of 23mph, and cost about £250. Larger models offer ever-increasing outputs – possibly at lower wind speeds – but, of course, come at higher prices. Comparisons between the types of models on the market are complicated as suppliers and manufacturers quote performance in different ways. Research is therefore needed for each specific use.
Connecting up Shore line connections (with approved outdoor socket systems) are now more common for both general use and charging of larger batteries. Any electric-drive battery system would be provided with such a socket for charging overnight. Future innovations include higher charging rates where cabling and supply is possible, which might offer useful energy transfer in as little as a couple of hours or so. Although electricity is ‘carbon neutral’ at point of use, its original generation may well be environmentally harmful if created through the burning of fossil fuels, rather than obtained from sustainable sources. If possible, look for a landbased energy supplier with good green credentials to plug into, in addition to harnessing your own solar and wind power. Controls are available that can handle multiple inputs from solar panels, wind generators and shorelines, ensuring optimum charging in a combined system. The main lesson here is that use of the boat’s conventional diesel engine or generator for charging batteries for domestic use can nowadays be replaced by the use of alternative, sustainable sources. This is of particular relevance to boaters residing in cities, where regulations might restrict the running of engines of moored boats in order to cut pollution. Both wind and solar technologies can, and should, be used to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels by craft on the inland waterways, whether passenger, hire, commercial or private boats, both while cruising and at their moorings. Autumn 2020 23/07/2020 15:45
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